New Car/Review

1999 Chevrolet Corvette Hardtop

by Carey Russ

Few automobiles have reached the legendary status of the
Chevrolet Corvette. It is an icon of American automotive performance.
In its 46 years of production, the Corvette has had little domestic
competition and performance parity with foreign sports cars costing far
more. Over the years it has become increasingly civilized without
losing its edge. When the fifth-generation Corvette, nicknamed "C5",
was introduced in 1997, it heralded further refinement, to the point that
some potential customers worried that it would sacrifice performance
to luxury. There was a demand for a more basic, and seriously
performance-oriented, C5 'Vette.

With the recent introduction of the Corvette Hardtop, that
demand has been answered. The first fixed-roof Corvette since the
Sting Ray in 1967, it is the lightest, quickest, and fastest version of the
current 'Vette. The six-speed manual gearbox and Z51 sports
suspension are optional on the C5 Coupe and Convertible. They are the
standard equipment on the Hardtop, with no substitutions.

This is not to say that comfort has been neglected. All C5
Hardtops come with leather upholstery, air conditioning, and a full
complement of power accessories. Only about six dyed-in-the-Harris
tweed purists will be disappointed by the lack of cloth upholstery and
side curtains. For anyone else, the Hardtop does what Corvettes have
always done best - give exotic sports car levels of performance and
handling at a relatively affordable price. It is the least-expensive 'Vette,
with a base price of just over $38,000.

I discovered how much performance the C5 Hardtop has during
a recent week with a bright red example. In one word: plenty. The
"extra weight" of the civilized accoutrements has little impact. Sixty
mph comes up in less than five seconds, and cornering and stopping
abilities are just as good. Top speed is reputed to be in the
neighborhood of 170 mph, although I missed that by about 100 mph.
Despite the extreme performance envelope, the C5 Hardtop is
completely civilized in everyday use. It may not be absolutely the
quickest and fastest car available today, but a little extra performance
elsewhere is significantly more expensive.

APPEARANCE: The C5 is unmistakably a Corvette, and has a similar
profile to the previous generation. It's rounded where the C4 was
angular, but the pop-up headlights remain. The Hardtop looks much
like a Convertible with a hardtop, but the top is not removable. What
appear to be air intakes in front are styling features; the engine breathes
from under the long nose. The Hardtop's passenger cabin is set well
back, for classic long-hood, short-deck sports car style.

COMFORT: The Hardtop is definitely not a "bare-bones" sports car. It
has all of the comforts expected of a car in its price range, including
leather seats, power windows, mirrors, and doorlocks, and a good
climate control system. Low door sills and wide doors make access
much easier than was the case with the C4. It's a driver's car, with snug
bucket seats, a thick-rimmed, leather covered steering wheel, and good
instrument and control layout. The Hardtop's luggage capacity is
minimal, but a real trunk lid helps access.

SAFETY: The 1999 Chevrolet Corvette Hardtop has crash avoidance
features including quick acceleration, excellent handling and
maneuverability, and 4-wheel antilock vented disc brakes. A safety
cage around the passenger compartment, front and rear crush zones,
three-point safety belts, and next-generation airbags protect occupants
in case the crash is not avoided.

ROADABILITY: All C5 models have the stiffest chassis ever found in
a Corvette, and the Hardtop is the lightest current model. Much like
the previous generation, a perimeter-and-backbone frame supports a
fiberglass body. But the new frame is lighter and much more rigid than
that of the C4, allowing a more compliant tuning of the fully-
independent suspension. A rear-mounted transaxle gearbox, unusual
for a front-engined car, improves weight distribution. The Z51 sports
suspension is firm, but nowhere near as harsh as the suspension of
early C4s. That compliance allows the tires to stay in contact with the
road, and the huge contact patch of the P245/45 ZR17 front and
P275/40 ZR18 rear Goodyear Eagle F1 tires ensures excellent
cornering and stopping power, aided by the optional "active handling"
electronic stability control system. Its abilities are far, far beyond what
can be used sanely on the street, but a C5 Hardtop should make an
excellent autocross and time trials car even with the leather seats and
power windows.

PERFORMANCE: The newest Corvette is mild-mannered and easy to
drive around town, with a light clutch and steering, and smooth
shifting. The 345-horsepower, 5.7-liter aluminum LS1 engine has the
lumpy idle of a high-performance V8, and just enough vibration
reaches the cockpit to let it be known that serious power is available.
It's fairly quiet around town. But, wide-open throttle on a highway
onramp clears any cobwebs out quickly. The subdued low-speed
exhaust note turns into a ferocious bellow, the scenery blurs, and 60
mph comes before second gear is used up. Because of the extreme
overdrive of both fifth and sixth gears, the 'Vette can be remarkably
frugal with fuel at highway speeds, but that does miss the point.

CONCLUSIONS: The newest Corvette does what 'Vettes have always
done best and looks to be the best yet.

As you sit, perhaps contemplating the return of the Ice Age, the
question of appropriateness may come to mind. In particular, the
appropriateness of a Corvette in a snowy climate. Is the new 'Vette an
all-season car?

Well...yes, if you live in Hawaii, Southern California, lowland
Arizona, or some equally temperate locale. No, if you live in the snow
zone, at least not as an every day car. The front spoiler, designed for
stability at triple-digit speeds, would probably shovel any loose snow
on the road right into the radiator. Clearance under the important parts
- engine, transaxle, and suspension - is more appropriate to the race
track than a dirty, slime-packed road. And the ultra-wide Goodyear F1
tires, so tenaciously grippy in the dry, are not designed for mud and
snow or chains. Antilock brakes and the "Active Handling" stability
control system need at least some traction to work (a lesson that
applies to ALL vehicles, including 4x4 SUVs).

So, the C5 is not a winter toy. That should surprise no one. A
Corvette is an only vehicle for very few owners. It's a lousy
snowmobile, but one of the best values going for a high-performance
sports car. Don't ski on dry pavement; don't drive a 'Vette in the snow.